Last week, we curated a list of some of the best Chinese eateries around UST. For this week, we’re going to ask our friends from Taft what their university belt has to offer. From Chinese classics to modern dishes, our 5 respondents from De La Salle University and College of Saint Benilde built a list that will tempt you to visit Taft right now!
1) Wai Ying Fastfood
Source: https://www.facebook.com/WaiYingDimsumTaft/
Wai Ying Fastfood is not a stranger to most, if not all, of us. Being the go-to dim sum place in Binondo for more than 2 decades now, Wai Ying still offers the mouth-watering experience that customers enjoy up to this day. Since they branched out, students, faculty, and workers from Taft have been enjoying their famous dishes and delectable dim sum as well. Evidently, it stays true to its promise of serving affordable and authentic Chinese cuisine as all 5 of our respondents included this in our list.
For dim sum, our respondents’ top recommendations are the classic Pork and Shrimp Siomai (Php 95), Beef Balls (Php 90), and Ham Sui Kok (Php 90). They said that you wouldn’t need any sauce, for these alone already serve explosions of flavors. Moreover, when asked what their favorite rice toppings are, the Fish Fillet (Php 200), Lemon Chicken (Php 200), and Roasted Duck (Php 240) were the crowd-favorites. Not only are they generous in every serving, but they also ensure that each dish is savory and enjoyable.
Address: Ground Floor, EGI Taft Tower, Taft Avenue
2) Cantonese Dimsum House
Source: https://www.facebook.com/CantoneseDimsum/?ref=page_internal
If you’re a student of DLSU, then you’ve surely visited or heard about Agno. Serving easy, affordable, and on-the-go food, the stalls located in this food court would certainly make your tummy and your wallet happy. One of the stand-outs from the wide array of stalls located in Agno is the Cantonese Dimsum House. It first started as a business concept offering appetizing dim sum products to neighbors, friends, relatives, and restaurants in Manila and Quezon City. Since the market seemed to like it, they now offer their products in different groceries, supermarkets, and stalls.
One of their best-sellers is the Shark’s Fin Dumpling Stir Fried Noodles (Php 95). According to one of our respondents, it’s one of those quintessential Chinese meals you can get quickly when you’re on-the-go. Plus, it’s affordable and very filling. Having this for lunch would be more than enough to power you through the day. Another recommended order is the Shrimp Pull (Php 55). It is said to be perfectly crispy on the outside, but soft & tasty on the inside as the sautéed shrimp filling is absolutely phenomenal!
Address: Agno Food Court, Fidel A. Reyes Street
3) Jus & Jerry’s Food Corp.
Source: https://www.anotsopopularkid.com/2013/12/jus-and-jerrys-taft.html
Jus & Jerry’s Food Corp. has always been one of the students’ favorite Chinese fast-food restaurants. From the alumni to the frosh, this eatery is said to be a gem in Taft. Aside from offering student-friendly prices, their dishes and drinks are great-tasting as well. Their menu ranges from chicken variants to sweet and sour pork, to different kinds of fried rice, to milk tea, and many many more. They certainly offer a big menu to choose from; hence, you will not run out of options!
When asked what their favorite is, our respondents’ top answer is the J&J’s Fried Chicken in Soy Garlic with Rice and Drink (Php 102). As the chicken is already crispy and appetizing on its own, adding the soy garlic glaze will make it more savory and luscious; and pairing it with rice is the perfect way to eat it. As our respondents said, you might even order an extra cup of rice. Aside from this, our respondents also love Jus & Jerry’s Noodle Bowls. They said it’s great comfort food and you will definitely get your money’s worth. But don’t forget about adding their Sate Paste (Php 20) as it will make the noodle bowls even more flavorful!
Address: Ground Floor, EGI Taft Tower, Taft Avenue
4) Ersao Taiwanese Restaurant
Source: https://www.iconicmnl.com/ersao-banawe-re-opens/
With numerous branches around the country, Ersao Taiwanese Restaurant has been one of the go-to’s for authentic Taiwanese cuisine since its establishment 20 years ago. During its early years, it only served milk tea. However, after 2 decades in the business, they have now expanded their menu and included a whole series of Taiwanese snacks such as dumplings and specialty noodles.
So aside from their famous line of milk teas, one of the establishment’s best-sellers is the Signature Beef Noodles (P310). According to our respondents, it is a big bowl filled with thick noodles, rich broth, savory braised beef, and a whole ton of happiness. It is absolutely delicious and worth it! However, if you’re on a budget, you can try another best-seller, the Spicy Squid Rice (P130)─ a dish that will surely excite your palette!
Address: Second Floor, One Archers Place, Taft Avenue
5) Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea
Source: https://www.facebook.com/yifangteaph/?ref=page_internal
If you just want a cup of refreshing tea, juice or milk tea, then you might want to try Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea. Having multiple branches across the Philippines and around the world, Yi Fang is obviously a champ. With drinks made from real and fresh ingredients, flavor and authenticity wouldn’t be compromised. Our respondents confirmed that as they said that the fruit teas will bring you to a roller coaster ride. From tasting sweetness to sourness, then a little bit of crunch from the fruit seeds, it will surely excite your taste buds for the next sip!
One of our respondents recommends the Yi Fang Signature Fruit Tea (Php 120 for medium, Php 140 for large) for its invigorating taste makes it the perfect study buddy. However, if you want milk tea, their Brown Sugar Pearl Series is also a must-try. The brown sugar pearls that come with it are quite different from the usual big pearls. It is the perfect pair for their smooth milk tea base!
Address: G/F, Burgundy Transpacific Place
Did our list just make you hungry? Well, be sure to check these out once you get the chance to!
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